pajamas
B1Informal, everyday
Definition
Meaning
A loose-fitting two-piece garment consisting of trousers and a jacket, worn for sleeping or lounging.
The term can also refer to the concept of comfortable, casual clothing worn at home, and is sometimes used in a metaphorical sense to indicate informality or being off-duty.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Pajamas are inherently associated with sleep, rest, privacy, and domestic comfort. They are a soft object (e.g., 'soft pajamas') and imply a state of being 'off-duty' or not dressed for public view.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK 'pyjamas', US 'pajamas'. Plural agreement is always used ('a pair of pyjamas/pajamas', 'my pajamas are...').
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. Strongly associated with childhood, bedtime routines, comfort, and illness (e.g., staying in pajamas all day).
Frequency
Equally common and high-frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] wears/is wearing pajamas.[Subject] changed into/put on [his/her/their] pajamas.a pair of pajamasVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the cat's pajamas (US, archaic slang meaning 'excellent')”
- “pajama party/sleepover”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used. Might appear in contexts of retail (e.g., 'pajama sales') or informal 'pajama day' office events.
Academic
Rare, except in historical, sociological, or anthropological studies of dress, sleep, or domestic life.
Everyday
Extremely common in domestic and familial contexts.
Technical
Used in fashion, textile, and retail industries to categorize sleepwear/loungewear.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- pyjama party
- pyjama trousers
- pyjama-clad
American English
- pajama party
- pajama bottoms
- pajama-clad
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I wear warm pajamas in winter.
- The children put on their pajamas before bed.
- She bought a new pair of flannel pajamas.
- On Sundays, we sometimes stay in our pajamas until lunchtime.
- Feeling unwell, he spent the entire day lounging on the sofa in his pajamas.
- The hotel provided luxurious silk pajamas for its guests.
- The concept of 'pajama dressing' has been adopted by high-fashion designers, blurring the line between nightwear and daywear.
- His memoir offered a pajama-clad, behind-the-scenes look at his years in office.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a PAiring of JAckets and trouMASt that you wear for sleep. PA-JA-MAS.
Conceptual Metaphor
PAJAMAS ARE COMFORT / PAJAMAS ARE INFORMALITY. Being 'in pajamas' metaphorically represents being relaxed, unguarded, or not engaged in formal/public activity.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'пижама' in singular for the garment. In English, it's always plural: 'pajamas'. Say 'a pair of pajamas' or just 'pajamas'.
- The Russian 'пижама' can refer to the top only, but English 'pajamas' always refers to the two-piece set.
Common Mistakes
- Using a singular verb (e.g., 'My pajama is...'). Correct: 'My pajamas are...'.
- Using the singular form 'pajama' as a noun for the garment. 'Pajama' is only used attributively (e.g., pajama top).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. 'Pajamas' is the standard American English spelling. 'Pyjamas' is the standard British English spelling.
It is a plural noun (like 'trousers' or 'scissors'). It takes a plural verb: 'The pajamas are on the bed.' The singular form 'pajama' is only used before another noun: 'pajama top'.
'Pajamas' specifically refers to a two-piece set (top and trousers/bottoms). A 'nightgown' or 'nightie' is a single-piece, dress-like garment worn for sleep.
No. Because it is a plural noun, you must say 'a pair of pajamas' or use it without an article: 'I need new pajamas.'